Mistaken
by The Duchess of Telmar
Summary: Rita Skeeter has pushed Hermione Granger too far this time. One-shot


_Title: _Mistaken

_Summary: _Rita Skeeter has pushed Hermione Granger too far this time. One-shot.

_Author's Note: _I hardly think Rita would be left alone be Hermione after the final battle. As a big fan of Hermione/Snape, you may pick up little bits of info that may imply that Hermione favors Severus a bit more than usual. Nothing romantic though. Oh, Severus survived the snake-bite, by the way. Enjoy!

* * *

**Mistaken**

"Ms. Scooter?"

A young wizard opened the door into a brightly colored room. The sign on the door read SKEETER but it was crossed out in bright red ink with a hastily scrawled "SACKED" underneath it. A woman with elaborate blond curls was sitting on a wooden box looking wistfully around the now empty room, remembering how it used to be: cluttered, but organized. _Cozy.  
_She looked up from her nails.

"_Skeeter, _Gelerton."

He flushed, but stepped in hesitantly.

"Of course..." he paused before continuing, "If I may, Ms. _Skeeter, _but what in the blazes are you doing here?"

Rita Skeeter cleared her throat and fidgeted uncomfortably. She felt as thought she was a tiny bug under a microscope, no pun intended.

"This is your office now, isn't it?" he nodded, "Well, I wanted to speak to Kingsley or Beechen or Cuffe. They might come by, later..."

Gelerten smirked, confident now.

"Want your job back?"

She nodded, sheepily. His grin widened causing her to scowl.

"Well then. This might provide suffice entertainment until they, uhm, arrive."

He handed her a tightly furled copy of this morning's edition of _The Daily Prophet. _She grabbed it from his hands, still scowling, if not more. She proceeded to read; her facial expressions shifted between appalling shock to disbelief.

:-:-:-:

**DAILY PROPHET REPORTER SADLY MISTAKEN**

DAILY PROPHET OFFICE, LONDON, UK--Rita Scooter, age 48, special correspondent at _The_ _Daily Prophet _was fired last night by a haughty looking Minister for Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt. Once Head of the Auror Department, Shacklebolt has always been an influential wizard and therefore, _The Daily Prophet _editor, Barnabas Cuffe, took his reprimand quite seriously. Scooter was a highly controversial writer and reporter. While some praise her such as Ms. Parvati Patil and Ms. Lavender Brown--both whom are currently facing probation from their low-ranking Ministry of Magic jobs--others highly criticize her writing. Among those that disagree with her views are the current Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Professor Minerva McGonagall and longstanding Potions Master, Professor Severus A. Snape.

The latter, Prof. Snape, was wrongly accused of being an untruthful spy by Ms. Scooter. Using her influence as a high ranking reporter, Ms. Scooter, lied to the wizarding public b putting them under the impression that Severus Snape was plotting with Mister Lucius Malfoy--now residing in Azkaban--to attempt to "pull another You-Know-Who" (Rita Scooter, Daily Prophet, June 11th 1998). Unfortunately for Scooter, author of the highly unsuccessful book on the late Albus Dumbledore, she did not realize with whom she was dealing with. Professor Snape, Potions Master, Master of Defense against the Dark Arts, Member of the Order of the Phoenix, Order of Merlin, 1st Class, also had hidden another part of his life from the general knowledge of the public. Severus Snape was awarded the title of Lord many years ago for being an influential asset to the Minister of Magic as well as the Muggle Prime Minister. Not particularly well known, Snape has always been part of the oldest families and high ranking individuals.

Apart from wrongly accusing Lord Snape, Rita Scooter had also insulted his valued blood and relations. Scooter violated the Reporter's Oath and fired a string of obscenities to describe the Professor.

"I am very disappointed in Ms. Skeeter," says a frazzled Head of _Prophet_, "I can assure the Wizarding community that she will not be misinforming the public any longer."

Frankly, many people are surprised that her sacking is just happening. Many had assumed that because of her unjust descriptions and interpretations of many respectable wizards, Cuffe would have taken action sooner. Mister Ronald B. Weasley, co-owner of the poplar joke shop, Weasley's Wizards Wheezes, and one of the few that helped defeated Lord Voldemort, says, "She's a foul git. She made most of our lives Hell at Hogwarts. I mean, we were only in our teens! Blimey, you'd think there were more important thing going on than the love lives of some 14 year olds, you know?"

Indeed, during the Triwizard Tournament of '94 and '95, Scooter mainly targeted Mister Harry J. Potter and Mister Victor H. Krum, Head of the Auror Department and International Quidditch star respectively. Among them, she also mistreated myself, Miss Hermione J. Granger, guest reporter and Head of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures and Member of Magical Law Enforcement.

Rita Scooter's official expulsion from _The Daily Prophet _will be on July 30th.--H.J. GRANGER, _THE DAILY PROPHET_

**:-:-:-:**

Her shriek echoed throughout the entire building.  
"IT'S RITA _SKEETER!!_"

:-:-:-:

Cuffe turns around in his chair, grinning at Hermione Granger. The scream of the ex-reporter felt like a valiant victory to the young witch.

"I maybe should have edited the 'Scooter' part but..."

"You know you loved it, Mr. Cuffe." Hermione laughs. It feels good, to do something rebellious.

He chuckles lightly, "I did, m'dear, I did indeed... We might have to keep you around, you know. Brilliant. _Scooter._"

Hermione smiles, "Thanks for the offer. But no thanks, I think I'd like to keep my life worry free for a while."

She picks up her bag and heads out the door, a broad grin on her face.

* * *

_Author's Note 2: _I've had this idea for a while. I'd love to know if it's any good (probably isn't, as I'm watching the Olympics at the same time). :)


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